subject: SLR Digital Camera: Choosing the right Lenses [print this page] Buying everything you want is beyond your budget, so it's necessary to break it down to what you really need. We'll concentrate on midrange optics.
There are a lot of choices to be made when choosing lenses for an SLR digital camera. Here are some of the prime factors to consider:
Purpose
Are you a generalist, photographing anything from vacations to sports to portraits? Perhaps you specialize in wildlife in its natural habitat and require equipment you can transport easily through snowfalls, swamps and airports. This is your first important decision, as it will help determine the types and quantity of lenses needed.
Zoom
Generally, the bigger the zoom range, the higher the cost. 16mm to 500mm zoom might sound great, but the price may be prohibitive. Try 28mm to 200mm instead. This range is large enough to handle most situations and is a good general lens. The real choice is between convenience and quality.
Larger zoom ranges have more performance compromises. A zoom lens will show less sharpness, especially around the edges, than a fixed-length, or prime lens. Prime lenses are optically superior, but the difference these days is minimal and probably only of concern for major enlargements and to the professional photographer. Of course, zoom lenses are much more flexible.
Bulk and Portability
If weight is an important issue, stay away from trying to carry around too many fast-speed lenses with apertures of f2.8. They are bigger and heavier than other lenses. The advantages of these types of lenses are bright and clear viewfinder images and quick focus. They are good in low light and with action. They are also very expensive, but better optically than slower lenses.
If you don't need a zoom, the standard 50mm that used to come with most SLR cameras is a good, lightweight alternative to faster lenses. It has good balance between foreground and background, is reasonably fast, comes at a modest cost, and has superior optics.
Again, the trade off must be analised and decided upon.
Brands
Nikon and Canon are the acknowledged leaders in professional SLR digital cameras and have the most comprehensive listings of digital camera accessories and lenses. Many talented photographers have adopted the Olympus or Sony digital camera, and their variety of available lenses is growing.
Convenience, size, flexibility, optical performance, cost and portability are all factors to consider when deciding on which lenses you must have in your bag. Savings can be had by going off-brand. Sigma, Tokina and Tamron all make quality lenses that rival those of Canon or Nikon, especially for the weekend photographer.
